The Impact of Raising Admissions Requirements on Entering Freshmen Class Diversity at California State University, Long Beach

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The Impact of Raising Admissions Requirements on
Entering Freshmen Class Diversity at California
State University, Long Beach

• Presented by
• Vincent A. (Van) Novack, Ph.D.
• Director, Institutional Research
• California State University, Long Beach

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CSU Long Beach Total Enrollment GrowthFall
Semesters, 1997 - 2003
2003 34,717
2002 34,566
2001 33,259
2000 30,920
1999 30,012
1998 28,637
1997 27,810
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CSULB First-time FreshmenFall Semesters 1997 -
2003
2003 3,523
2002 3,037
2001 4,517
2000 3,367
1999 3,482
1998 2,806
1997 2,653
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CSU Eligibility Index(High School GPA 800)
SAT Composite Score

• Primary admission criteria (students must also
  meet course pattern requirements)
• CSU minimum eligibility 2,900
• With 2.50 GPA, SAT of 900 required
• Nearly 75 of freshmen applicants admitted prior
  to impaction

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Impaction Methodology

• Chancellors Office approval required
• First implemented in fall 2002
• Only freshmen affected in first year
• Local service area defined (index 2,900)
• Extended local service area defined (slightly
  higher index)
• Considerably higher eligibility requirements for
  rest of California and non-residents
• All admits must meet minimum CSU eligibility

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Why Freshmen?

• Freshmen represent largest and fastest growing
  new student cohort at CSULB
• CSU Chancellors Office allows impaction for
  entire class as well as by academic program
• California Master Plan designates community
  college transfers as first priority
• Nearly 80 of freshmen applicants originate
  outside CSULBs local area

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Enrollment Management at Cal State Long Beach

• Presidential Ad Hoc Committee composed of mostly
  administrators formed in 1999
• Standing Advisory Committee on Enrollment
  established by Academic Senate in 2002
• Advisory Committee is chaired by newly created
  Vice Provost for Enrollment
• Includes six faculty members serving staggered
  three-year terms
• Includes community, K-12, and community college
  representatives

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Fall 2002 Enrollment After Impaction

• Fall 2002 Freshmen class 3,037
• Freshmen class reduced by 1,480
• Represents a reduction of 32.8
• Mean composite SAT increased from 979 in fall
  2001 to 1018 in fall 2002
• Mean High School GPA increased from 3.21 in fall
  2001 to 3.41 in fall 2002
• Highest SAT and HSGPA of any freshmen class in
  CSULB history
• Three groups most affected by impaction African
  Americans, Latinos, Caucasians

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CSULB African American First-time Freshmen
Enrollment History
Year Number Percent
2001 336 7.4
2000 258 7.7
1999 225 6.5
1998 229 8.2
1997 305 11.5
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CSULB Latino First-time Freshmen Enrollment
History
Year Number Percent
2001 1,156 25.6
2000 799 23.7
1999 873 25.1
1998 721 25.7
1997 704 26.5
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CSULB Caucasian First-time Freshmen Enrollment
History
Year Number Percent
2001 1,532 33.9
2000 1,129 33.5
1999 1,134 32.6
1998 847 30.2
1997 752 28.3
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Fall 2002 Freshmen Ethnic Distribution Compared
to Fall 2001
Fall 2001 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2002
Number Percent Number Percent
African American 333 7.4 159 5.2
Latino 1,138 25.2 686 22.6
Caucasian 1,523 33.7 1,096 36.1
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Fall 2002 Freshmen Ethnic Distribution Compared
to Fall 2001
Diff. In Class Proportion Diff. In Total Count from 2001 Percentage Change from 2001
African American -2.1 -174 -52.3
Latino -2.6 -452 -39.7
Caucasian 2.4 -427 -28.0
All Students N/A -1,480 -32.8
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Difference in Eligibility Elements by Selected
Tier and Ethnicity
SAT HSGPA
Local Area 994 3.32
Non-local 1,049 3.48
African American 1,005 3.31
Latino 950 3.36
Caucasian 1,074 3.45
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Percent of First-Time Freshmen from Outside Local
Service Tiers

• 57.2 of all freshmen
• 70.6 of Caucasians
• 65.0 of Asians
• 65.6 of Other ethnicity
• 50.3 of African Americans
• 46.0 of Latinos

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Changes for Fall 2003

• Eliminated eligibility index differential between
  tiers one and two
• Added selected tier three schools to tier two
• Declared certain majors impacted for upper
  division transfers
• Enforced admissions filing deadline for all
  first-time freshmen
• Considered adjusting eligibility index for tier
  three
• Targeted certain populations for recruitment
  efforts and admissions follow-up

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Freshmen Enrollment Goals, Fall 2003

• Enrolled freshmen class target of 3,300 to 3,800
• Approximate fall 2001 ethnic distribution (last
  year before impaction)

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Ethnic Distribution of Freshmen2001 - 2003
Cohort 2001 2002 2003
Native American 0.4 0.7 0.7
African American 7.4 5.2 7.4
Latino 25.6 22.6 25.9
Asian 22.6 25.6 22.3
Caucasian 33.9 36.1 36.4
Unknown 10.1 9.8 7.4
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Concerns Regarding Continuing Impact of Impaction
Methodology

• Bifurcation
• Observed differences in pre-college performance
  of local versus non-local
• Similar observations regarding Caucasians and
  minorities
• Future implications regarding graduation and
  retention
• The Haves and the Have Nots
• Similar issues regarding transfer student
  impaction methodology (spring 2004)

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Percent of Selected Student Groups Outside of
Local Area
Cohort Fall 2002 Fall 2003
All Freshmen 54.2 55.2
Caucasian 70.6 73.0
Asian 65.0 49.0
African Americans 50.3 40.6
Latinos 46.0 37.7
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SAT SCORES HSGPA of Selected Cohorts Outside of
Local Area
Fall 2002 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2003
Cohort SAT HSGPA SAT HSGPA
Local Area 994 3.32 1007 3.34
Non-local 1,049 3.48 1050 3.46
African American 1,005 3.31 939 3.24
Latino 950 3.36 948 3.35
Caucasian 1,074 3.45 1079 3.46
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Top Ten Institutions for CSULB Students Admitted
but Not Enrolled, Fall 2002
Institution Count
California State University, San Diego 918 14.2
University of California, Irvine 604 9.3
University of California, Santa Barbara 462 7.1
University of California, Los Angeles 370 5.7
University of California, San Diego 281 4.3
California State University, Fullerton 274 4.2
University of California, Santa Cruz 259 4.0
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo 230 3.6
University of California, Davis 228 3.5
California Polytechnic, Pomona 211 3.3
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Top Ten Institutions for CSULB Students Admitted
but Not Enrolled, Fall 2003
Institution Count
California State University, San Diego 987 15.3
University of California, Irvine 617 9.5
University of California, Santa Barbara 612 9.5
University of California, Los Angeles 384 5.9
University of California, Santa Cruz 342 5.3
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo 327 5.1
California Polytechnic, Pomona 283 4.4
University of California, San Diego 268 4.1
University of California, Davis 207 3.2
Loyola Marymount University 206 3.2
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Changes for 2004 and Beyond

• Explore the possible use of non-quantitative
  admissions criteria
• Monitor effect of impaction methodologies for
  upper division transfer students
• Continue targeted recruiting to stimulate
  applications from selected populations
• Continue more aggressive follow-up regarding
  admitted students

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Perhaps More Important Philosophical
Considerations

• What is the true mission of CSULB?
• Who is our desired clientele?
• What becomes of CSU-eligible students not
  admitted by CSULB?
• How do we get buy-in from campus constituents
  if we endorse anything other than accepting only
  the most qualified?

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Conclusion

• Nothing is more important to any university than
  who we admit and how many
• CSULB is facing unprecedented demand in a time of
  fiscal crisis
• How do we adjust our impaction methodologies when
  demand decreases?

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Conclusion (continued)

• Increasing enrollment forecast through at least
  2010 for entire CSU system
• The CSU will accept a decreasing proportion of
  college-eligible high school graduates
• Eligibility requirements must be found that do
  not disproportionately impact minorities or first
  generation students
• Graduation and retention efforts must be an
  integral part of enrollment management

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Fairness is what Justice Really Is.

• Potter Stewart
• Associate Justice, US Supreme Court
• October 1958